Moments after Bo Bichette’s introductory press conference at Citi Field on Wednesday, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns reiterated that he wants to add to his club’s starting rotation before spring training.
“We’re still having starting pitching discussions,” Stearns said. “We’ve been open about that. Whether we get something over the line or not, I don’t know. It’s really tough to predict.”
Hours later, Stearns traded for a new ace.
The Mets acquired Freddy Peralta from the Brewers late Wednesday night, adding a true No. 1 starter to the top of their rotation.
Mets prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat are going to the Brewers in the blockbuster deal, according to reports. New York is also getting right-hander Tobias Myers in the trade.
Peralta is under contract for one more season, so multiple top-ranked prospects is a hefty price to pay for a rental. But Peralta is one of the best pitchers in baseball. He’s exactly the type of player the Mets have been needing this winter, another final box to check in what’s been an impressive offseason for Stearns.
Last season was the best of Peralta’s career. The right-hander led the National League with 17 wins in 2025, setting new career-highs with a 2.70 ERA and 176 2/3 innings pitched. He’s now poised to enter his age-30 season, the ninth of his career, with a chance to earn a gargantuan payday in free agency next winter.
Myers, 27, is entering what will be his third big-league season. He has a career 3.15 ERA over 49 games, making 31 starts along the way. The Mets could slot him into a multi-inning role in the bullpen, an option to make a spot start or take over in the rotation in case of injury.
Before this trade, the starting staff was the only part of the Mets’ roster that had yet to be addressed this winter. After dismantling the club’s core, saying goodbye to the likes of Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, the Mets revamped their lineup by acquiring Bichette, Luis Robert Jr. and Polanco, adding two new high-leverage relievers (Devin Williams and Luke Weaver) to the back of their bullpen.
Peralta will now headline a rotation that also includes phenom Nolan McLean along with veterans Clay Holmes and Sean Manaea. From there, the Mets can choose between the likes of David Peterson, Kodai Senga and other pitching prospects Jonah Tong and Christian Scott.
Williams was ranked as the No. 3 prospect on MLB Pipeline, a versatile defender with 40 games of experience in Triple-A. Sproat debuted with the Mets last year, the club’s No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline — he posted a 4.79 ERA over four starts with the Mets in 2025. Both Williams and Sproat were ranked as top-100 prospects by Baseball America heading into the 2026 season.
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